Myanmar. MoJo reopens with Carlsberg branding

After a 10-day hiatus, Mojo has re-opened its doors and rebranded its image, from night club to lounge, with the help of Carlsberg beer.

“As a bar owner, you look for strong partnerships,” said Jean Curci, the managing director at Mojo. “Alone you cannot do great things in life. I believe in teamwork. It’s a great brand and very good beer.”

Alongside the Mojo name on the outside patio, a Carlsberg sign denotes the change. Inside, a complete décor overhaul contains highlights of Carlsberg branding: paintings from the Carlsberg museum in Denmark, depicting old-fashioned Carlsberg ads, green bottles stacked behind the bar, and an elephant head – part of the Myanmar Carlsberg logo – hangs above the bar.

The opening marks Carlsberg’s first chance to launch a completely branded flagship outlet, bringing it on par with Heineken’s Hummingbird rooftop. Decidedly subtler than the towering star and blinding whiteness of the other international beer/trendy bar partnership, the Mojo-Carlsberg team used attention to detail in hopes of preserving a “blend” atmosphere.

All these touches combine with new tables and chairs to transform Mojo into what Curci hopes can be an after-work watering hole that entices patrons to stay for a few more.

It’s a marked shift from the Mojo of old, where hopefuls waited in line outside to get a chance to dance late into the early morning hours in the club upstairs. As recently as summer 2015, Myanmore had declared it the Best Bar, Best Night Club and Best Social Events winner.

But things changed when allegations of a taxi cab rape outside the club began to spread. A city-wide curfew coincided with the national election and cut down on club hours, and suddenly, the once-bumping nightspot had tamed.

The Carlsberg re-branding signifies Mojo’s complete transition into a lounge.

“We don’t do [the club] anymore,” Curci said. “Not anymore – we are a lounge and restaurant now. We close reasonably. After work, you can come have a drink with your friends, eat and stay. We wanted to create the kind of ambience you want to stay in.”